Going to Cuba to Visit Family What Are the Rules

How To Travel to Cuba

Republic of cuba Travel Tips

Tin can y'all travel to Cuba with an American passport? Yeah, but there are even so some restrictions and hoops to leap through. Here's how to legally travel to Cuba as an American!

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LATEST CUBA TRAVEL NEWS:
President Trump announced changes in travel rules for Cuba. Notwithstanding, you CAN still travel to Republic of cuba if yous run into certain requirements. Keep reading beneath for more details!
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How To Travel To Republic of cuba In 2020

Traveling To Cuba On A US Passport

Me Exploring the Tobacco Farms of Viñales

Yep, Americans can travel to Cuba. But non as easily as other countries. There are some additional steps to take.

Just because travel to Republic of cuba for Americans is restricted, doesn't mean it's incommunicable to visit. In fact you can oft wing directly to Cuba from a scattering of international airports in the United States like New York Metropolis, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, and some others.

You can besides travel to Cuba from "foreign gateway" cities like Toronto, Canada or Cancun, Mexico — like we did. For many years, this was actually the easiest manner to travel to Republic of cuba before Us airlines restarted flights to Havana a few years agone.

The Cuban government allows Americans to visit, it's only the U.s.a. that has tried to implement special restrictions on tourism in that location due to the Cuban Trade Embargo.

Government officials don't care besides much virtually contained travelers in Republic of cuba. Unless you're an American business making money in Republic of cuba, or yous're overly loud about your trip, y'all probably don't accept much to worry nigh!

Valid Travel Categories

Travel Categories for Americans

Every bit an American, you lot tin travel to Cuba if the reason for your travel fits a certain category. These include family visits, professional reasons, journalism, religious or cultural programs, and humanitarian projects.

You do non need pre-blessing for such a license, merely technically your visit should match 1 of the categories to stay legal. Just in case the US Government decides to inquire later (which is rare).

12 CATEGORIES OF AUTHORIZED TRAVEL TO Cuba FOR AMERICANS

Family visits
Official business concern of the U.Due south. authorities, strange governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations
Journalistic activity
Professional research and professional person meetings
Educational activities
Religious activities
Public performances, clinics, workshops, able-bodied and other competitions, and exhibitions
Back up for the Cuban people
Humanitarian projects
Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials
Certain consign transactions that may be considered for dominance under existing regulations and guidelines.

Foreign Gateway Cities

Game of Dominoes in the Streets of Havana

The other option is to travel to Cuba through a strange gateway city. This means flying yourself to Canada or United mexican states first, and so traveling to Cuba on your own from one of those countries.

Considering for the rest of the world, Cuba has been a pop travel destination for many years. It's only usa Americans who haven't been able to visit Cuba!

Going to Cuba via a foreign gateway metropolis, as a tourist, has some risks. A few people have been fined past the Treasury Section in the by, and in fact I was somewhen subpoenaed by them years later, and sent a alert.

Enforcement of this rule seems to vary depending on who'due south in charge though, and probably how public you are with sharing your trip.

More often than not, if you take this route, the government won't know you were in Cuba unless you lot flaunt that fact. Cuban immigration volition offer to not postage your passport, and so when you return to the US through Mexico or Canada, there's no obvious indication of your "side trip" to Cuba.

Getting A Tourist Bill of fare

My $20 Cuban Tourist Card

I traveled to Cuba as an American with my girlfriend (now married woman) Anna and our friends Hannah & Adam from Getting Stamped.

Nosotros traveled through the popular foreign gateway city of Cancun, Mexico.

We bought 30-day Cuban tourist visas at the aerodrome in Cancun for $20.

Visas were purchased at the check in counter (or while waiting in line) earlier your flying. The visa is a divide bill of fare you continue with your passport, just information technology'south not attached.

Nosotros flew into Havana from Cancun on the Mexican budget airline Interjet for $240 USD circular trip, and the flight took about an hour.

Cuban Immigration Process

The Cuban immigration process was super simple. I told the officeholder in Havana that I was traveling to Cuba for tourism, and he offered to postage my visa card instead of my passport. This has been standard operating procedure for years.

Cuba WANTS American tourism, then they offer to postage stamp your visa bill of fare instead of your bodily passport, then you don't get in trouble with the The states authorities later on.

This way, when you lot return to the United States, it simply looks like you traveled to Mexico. Or Canada. At that place's no passport record of your travel to Cuba. They volition never know you were there unless they really determine to dig into the specifics.

Withal, I asked the Cuban immigration agent to stamp my passport directly. I was curious nearly what would happen when I returned to the U.s.a.. Would anyone inquire me nigh information technology? Would I get fined or arrested?

Nada happened. When I returned to the U.s.a., immigration didn't even ask me what countries I'd been to, and they didn't look at my passport stamps either.

Health Insurance In Cuba

People traveling to Cuba are required to have Cuban health insurance. Don't worry, they take ane of the best healthcare systems in the world!

The easiest manner to sign up is when you arrive at Havana'southward airport. In that location's a small booth earlier Customs where you can buy a Cuban health policy for just a few dollars per mean solar day.

Set A Republic of cuba Itinerary

Support Cuban People with Your Trip

While information technology is extremely unlikely that the United states authorities will make up one's mind to enquire you questions well-nigh your trip to Republic of cuba, just to be prophylactic, I recommend planning an full-fourth dimension (6 hours per day) travel itinerary that volition run into the requirements for traveling to Cuba equally an American.

Your itinerary should include plenty of canonical activities — similar visiting independent museums, talking with local artists, and spending fourth dimension with your casa item hosts, learning about their style of life.

You should besides document your trip much more than yous might when traveling to other countries. Ask for and save all receipts given to you lot. Take plenty of photos, and record the names of whatsoever businesses you visit.

Only so that if they practise ask (again, very unlikely), you'll exist prepare with a binder total of proof that yous didn't spend money on whatever Cuban government-run businesses, and instead trying to support the Cuban people while yous were there.

Because sitting on the beach all week while staying at government-run hotels won't go over well…

The Restricted Listing

How practice you know which businesses are run by the Cuban government? In that location'due south a restricted business list maintained by the U.s. Country Department. Americans are not immune to spend any coin at these hotels, restaurants, or tour companies due to their connexion with the Cuban armed forces.

Exchanging Coin In Cuba

Two Different Kinds of Money

Credit & debit cards issued by American banks still don't work in Cuba. So a trip to the island involves bringing lots of greenbacks. How much? To requite y'all an idea, y'all can travel there comfortably on $l – $100 per twenty-four hour period.

Bring more than than you need to be safe. If you run out, yous're out of luck!

Republic of cuba actually has ii different currencies. The Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is the "tourist" currency, pegged to the American dollar. The Cuban Peso (Cup) is what locals employ, and worth a lot less. And then when you exchange money as a tourist, you'll receive CUC.

$1 USD = 1 CUC = 24 CUP

You can exchange United states of america dollars for CUC, simply there is a special 10% penalty fee for this service. So it'south cheaper to commutation Euros, Canadian Dollars, British Pounds, or Mexican Pesos for CUC instead.

There's an official currency exchange exterior the aerodrome in Havana. You tin exchange your leftover CUC back to United states dollars (or whatsoever) earlier yous go out the country besides.

Ultimate Republic of cuba Travel Guide

What about adaptation in Republic of cuba? How do you become around once you lot're there? Do they have wifi? What should you eat there?

These are all questions I had before visiting for the first fourth dimension, that'south why I've put together a consummate travel guide to Cuba for you lot based on my feel.

Learn where to eat, fun things to do in Republic of cuba, examples from my x-day itinerary, and much more!

History Of The Merchandise Embargo

Back in 1960, the United states imposed a severe trade embargo confronting Cuba. The Occludent was created after Cuba nationalized American-owned oil refineries without compensation.

Equally role of this embargo, travel to Cuba by Americans has been restricted for over half a century.

Or more specifically, it'southward technically illegal for U.S. citizens to take transactions (spend money or receive gifts) in Cuba under most circumstances.

Basically, a backdoor (and very probable unconstitutional way) of preventing most Americans from traveling to Cuba.

Due to economic sanctions, air travel to Cuba from the United States was almost incommunicable. American credit & debit cards don't work in Cuba either.

Withal rules for traveling to Cuba are finally beginning to change. Lets hope it gets fifty-fifty easier in the hereafter!

FAQ: Top Cuba Travel Questions

My Pinkish Cuban Passport Stamps!

What Is The Cuban Leave Fee?

Equally of May 1st 2015, Cuba no longer charges the $25 CUC go out fee to travelers leaving the country, this fee is now included in the price of your airline.

Is Water Prophylactic To Drink In Cuba?

Tap water in Cuba is not safe to drink, and bottled water tin can sometimes be difficult to find depending on where you are. If y'all plan on traveling to Cuba, I recommend picking up a LifeStraw Filtered Water Bottle. Information technology'due south better for the environment too!

Can You Bring Back Cuban Cigars?

I thought you'd never ask! So officially, if you are traveling to Republic of cuba under 1 of the 12 special categories, y'all are now allowed to bring back $400 worth of souvenirs, including up to $100 worth of Cuban cigars. Yay!

I managed to bring xxx Cuban cigars back into the United States. I was never questioned well-nigh tobacco, and information technology's non listed on the community course every bit something I have to declare anyway.

Is Traveling To Cuba Ethical?

Good question. While it'southward probably impossible to completely avoid giving some of your tourist dollars to the Cuban Government, traveling to Cuba does assistance the local economic system at that place, which has been hurting desperately for years.

Everyone seems to be worried that Cuba is going to get "destroyed" by American tourism, which seems ridiculous to me.

Sure, things volition slowly change over fourth dimension, as they do. Former buildings will get repaired, newer cars will fill the roadways, etc. But those changes will Improve the lives of Cubans — which is a good affair.

It'due south really pretty big-headed and egotistical for tourists to wish Cuba remains in a perpetual state of decay for their personal amusement.

Cubans deserve progress and a meliorate life, just like the rest of us! ★

TRAVEL VIDEO: Exploring the All-time of Cuba!

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(Click to spotter BEST OF Cuba | Havana, Trinidad, and Vinales on YouTube)

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Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you kickoff packing for your trip.

Book Your Flight

Ready to fly? Here's how I discover the cheapest airline flights.

Cheap Accommodation

Learn how I save coin booking hotels & holiday apartments.

Protect Your Trip

Don't forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft away. Read why you should always comport travel insurance.

Recommended Guidebook: Alone Planet Cuba
Suggested Reading: The Other Side Of Paradise
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Source: https://expertvagabond.com/travel-to-cuba-for-americans/